White House Daily Briefing, October 26, 2000

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
October 26, 2000
PRESS BRIEFING BY JAKE SIEWERT
The James S. Brady Press Briefing Room
1:45 P.M. EDT
Q: Jake, a defense intelligence analyst resigned yesterday, and
there's several reports now that the NSA sent out a warning about a
potential terrorist attack. Based on what the President has been
briefed about the USS Cole attack, does he believe that the
intelligence community in any way dropped the ball in alerting various
military assets in the region that a terrorist attack was coming? Does
he have any particular message to send to the victims' families that
they should not fear that the intelligence community dropped the ball?
MR. SIEWERT: Well, as I think I said yesterday or the day before, I
don't think it's appropriate for me to comment on intelligence
matters. The Pentagon is conducting a review in this area, and we'll
wait to see the full results of that review before making any final
judgments.
Q: And there was no specific intelligence on the Cole?
Q: Osama bin Laden is calling a holy war or Jihad against the United
States and the region now. He's talking the same language as the
military dictator of Pakistan, because he also told the New York Times
in an interview and an advertisement in the India Globe that the holy
war or Jihad against India. And Osama Bin Laden calling the same
thing. So do you see any of these terrorist groups are playing the
same games in the region?
MR. SIEWERT: I'd have to look at what the Prime Minister of Pakistan
said, General Musharraf, President Musharraf, before I make any
comment on that particular --
END 2:17 P.M. EDT